Thousands descend on Galway for race week

AND they’re off… All eyes are on Galway today as the annual seven-day racing festival gets underway.

Thousands of punters are arriving on the Ballybrit race track for a week of fashion, fetlocked fun, and, of course, the odd flutter. Paddy Power estimates t hat €40million will be wagered by punters during the festival.

A spokesman for the bookies said: ‘The Galway festival is one of the few events that attracts the interest of the casual punter and they – along with the purists – will keep us run off our feet for the week.’

Almost 150,000 people attended the summer festival meeting last summer, with betting turnover reaching healthy levels.

Thursday will see Ballybrit whipped into a fashion frenzy for Ladies’ Day – as style mavens compete for the Best Dressed Lady contest. This year presenter and winner of VIP’s most stylish woman, Kathryn Thomas, heads up the judging panel for the competition, which sees the winner walk away with a prize worth €12,000.

Paddy Power has opened a book on just how many will attend the meeting over the week – with 135,001 to 150,000 their favourite at 8/11.

Regarding racing, course specialist Pat Smullen is the favourite to ride the most winners. Paddy Power is also offering odds of 10/1 that trainer Dermot Weld will break his own record of 17 winners at the festival.

The bookies even have a wager on the number of snack boxes that will be sold in Supermac’s on Galway’s Eyre Square.

A spokesman for Paddy Power said: ‘The craic at Galway is top class and while most of the race-goers will be there for the racing we thought we’d price up some specials for those who will be going west to soak up the buzz around the festival.’